Sam Thompson and the Lone Indian

Sam Thompson and the Lone Indian
Oil on panel, 10x8

Today, I am illustrating a little part of the following Missouri history.  This little hollow is located near the Mark Twain Cave in Hannibal.

 "Bob Masterson was running hogs in that hollow, the first ones in this part of the country. Several hundred Sac Indians were wintering nearby and the hogs had been a great curiosity to them. Their dogs assumed they were a new form of game and began to worry them considerably. Sam Thompson heard the squealing and rushed to their rescue. Coming upon the scene, he saw a lone Indian but was unable to tell if this fellow was encouraging the dogs or trying to induce them to desist… so he shot him. "  

I may come back to this tomorrow, possibly push back the background a little, cast a little more light on the pigs and dog in the foreground, and probably refine the figures just a bit.  These figures are very small, as the whole painting is only a10x8.  But for now, I let it rest.  This is painting number 429 in 429 days.  It might be fun to illustrate some of this history in pen and ink - giving the work a vintage feel........